Pen show

[Dylan]

Hi all

 

I recently attended my first ever pen show after accumulating pens for 20 years. It was in Europe and I happened to be there at the same time by absolutely coincidence. The experince itself was very mixed. I naively thought that a pen show was a coming together of fellow brothers and sisters of the pen world where differences are put aside, money is irrelevant and the sheer joy and love of pens is the theme of the day.

 

Well shock and horror as I was treated like a criminal, hardly anyone who ran the event could speak english and after 50 minutes I was kicked out for not having enough money to pay the entrance fee (I was 5 Euros short). Unfortunately I was only in Europe for a few hectic days including a board meeting, Insurance conference, a client visit from Germany to Netherlands and back and a meeting with the groups MD on the saturday at 1pm, hours before my flight back to South Africa. All I needed was someone to be kind enough to take me to a bank so that I could draw money so that I could pay and also buy some pens, pens that I in South Africa never get to see. Unfortunately no one was interested in helping me.......it left me feeling cheated and dissappointed...when will my next opportunity to go to a pen show ever be??? Will I have to wait for another 20 years??? Should I just buy a plane ticket to the next pen show, wherever in the world it is??

 

I have also come to realise that I am not a collector. That I am a beginner. I saw and touched some absolutely amazing and beautiful pens from all kinds of manufacturers and got to talk to some very nice people as well, in very broken english. A big thank you to those who tried to make me feel welcome. I realised that I really would like to get more vintage fountain pens, defined as pre-1970 is vintage enough for me, pre-1950 would be great. When pens were still pens and not only vehicles of profit.

 

I also realised that in my collection I have a lot of pens that I will never use and I should actually sell...

 

..........anyway just some thoughts...back to work now.

Edited April 6, 2009 by Collector

[Dylan]

A decision has been made...I am going to put a pen show calendar together and coincide every business I ever have again with a pen show......and next time (like one very nice German lady told me) I will take LOTS AND LOTS of money!!!!!!!!!!!

 

P.S. I held a Green Straited Mont Blanc 144 and 142 fountain pens in my hand....oh my...I will never be the same again.

[johnboz]

It's too bad that your first experience was somewhat negative. It's fortunate that you still walked away with a good experience.

 

[Brian]

Sorry you had a bad experience on your first pen show. A couple of things to know: (1) pen shows reflect the pen world compressed into one space so you will find and have access to all kinds of pen stuff you might never otherwise see in the "real" world; (2) pen shows are still a great place to meet good people who are fair minded. Having said that, pen shows have all kinds of characters including the good and the bad. Exercise common sense and ask a lot of questions. You've been collecting for 20 years so you'll have a sense of whether or not the person you are dealing with knows what he is talking about and selling; (3) try to focus on your collecting objectives and not go crazy. You will thank yourself later for your restraint; and (4) remember the three C's when it comes to finding a good pen - condition, condition, condition.

 

Good luck and have a great time at your next show.

Edited April 6, 2009 by Brian

[goodguy]

So sorry to hear about your negative experience. Pen shows should be a place we come to get passionat, excited and meet fellow FP fans.

Sadly this is not always the case. For some people sellers and people FP's is a product they sell period. Its not about passions so they will be happy to take you money but willnot share you passion and excitment.

 

My experience with pen shows is kimited to the Toronto pen show. Its not the biggest show on the planet but its is the place to go if you want to meet fellow FP fans. Many of us know each other and the orgeniser (Bill Smith) is a very nice guy and I am sure he wouldnt kick you out over few dollars if you didnt have the entire entrance fee.

 

You shouldnt learn anything from this one time experience just try it again and this time come prepaer to a place that speaks English and I am sure you will have a great time.

[Rossini]

Hi all

Well shock and horror as I was treated like a criminal, hardly anyone who ran the event could speak english and after 50 minutes I was kicked out for not having enough money to pay the entrance fee (I was 5 Euros short).

 

While I understand your disappointment , I think your being a tad harsh towards the organizers and those involved with running the show.

Edited April 7, 2009 by Rossini

[pen2paper]

Glad to see you're planning to attend future shows..

I've only had the opportunity to attend one..everyone was exceptionally hospitable:)

I do attend another collector type show, am on the board-sometimes there are unusual circumstances, and those who volunteer to meet and greet new ones get sidetracked with business, and meetings.

btw, Welcome to FPN:D !

p2p

[OcalaFlGuy]

I attended my first pen show a few weeks ago in Atlanta and found it most enjoyable.

 

It was actually a pretty small show I thought but still, more FP's together than I've ever seen

before or am likely to outside another show. While I was somewhat disappointed to see it scheduled

the same weekend as the Long Island show and thus Atlanta not having some of the "Bigger Dawg"

venders in attendence, those that were there showed plenty of the usual Southern hospitality. I

also got to meet a few FPNers who I've corresponeded with here for the better part of a year.

That was tres cool.

 

It was $7 a day to get in and not only do I think the host hotel/convention center had a ATM, one of

the largest banks in the South had a branch just across the street. A sure recipe for fiscal carnage

at a pen show. Thankfully, being pretty happy with my current collection, I exercised remarkable

restraint in just getting a bottle of ink and a couple note pads. The free back issues of Stylus they

were giving out and the gratus Pilot Varsity more than covered my admission fee.

 

I'm sorry you didn't have a nice a time but from the sounds of it, your experience is an uncommon

one at US shows.

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

[Parker51]

Well, the next time you have this problem, I suggest the following. "Excuse me please, would you be so kind as to allow me to speak to your superior." I have found that managers of all enterprises are usually more flexible than functionaries, and it likely was a functionary whom was unhelpful, and whom was so inflexible. If they refuse, then request their card, if they do not have a card, request their name, and in any case that of their supervisor, along with the organizations Email address. Then follow up with a message at your leisure. (There are several good translation programs available on the Internet, so, one can send an Email to the appropriate party even if they communicate in a language you do not share.) Note: if you do a search, you will find pages with links to the Websites of Pen Shows, so, you can still let the appropriate persons affiliated with the Pen show you went to know about their mistake.

[Snowcap]

The bottom line in pen shows is to sell. The more the better.

 

We cannot "afford" wasting our time with a foreigner who doesn't

 

speaks the lingo and (most probably) doesn't have the cash.

 

So, what's new?

 

Unless "they" know you and suck up to you (with the sole intention of selling).

 

C'est la vie.

[OldGriz]

The bottom line in pen shows is to sell. The more the better.

 

We cannot "afford" wasting our time with a foreigner who doesn't

 

speaks the lingo and (most probably) doesn't have the cash.

 

So, what's new?

 

Unless "they" know you and suck up to you (with the sole intention of selling).

 

C'est la vie.

 

As someone who does exhibit and sell at shows I find your remarks rather insulting.....

 

YES, I do the shows to sell the pens I have restored.... that is the way I make a little extra money for and from my hobby...

BUT, I have never turned away anyone who just wanted some information.... EVER.

I may ask them to wait a bit while I deal with a customer who is looking to purchase a pen, BUT I have never ignored them or told them to go away if they are not buying

And that is the way just about every seller at the shows I do seem to work also....

I have had more than my share of people come to me just to see if I could ID and possibly value pens they have, and if I can I do so gladly...

We are proud of our collections and what we are selling and are more than happy to talk pens to people we don't know.... just as we are on FPN and the other boards...

If the person does not speak English I am, obviously, at a loss as I do not speak any other languages (something I am not all that proud of, but language was never my good subject in school). But generally they are there with someone who can translate and we get the information across the language barrier...

 

Shows are a wonderful place to make new pen friends and exchange information. If someone has not been to show don't throw them into the realm of "I Want Your Money or Leave" until you have been there and seen the genuine interaction of the people involved...

Edited April 7, 2009 by OldGriz

[pen2paper]

...

 

 

Edited April 8, 2009 by pen2paper

[QM2]

Ah, cross-cultural differences in notions of "hospitality"! : )

 

To be fair though, it is usually a good idea to withdraw money before entering an event.

[Snowcap]

Yes-Everything Old Griz just said-

In Fact-

Besides the President of our state pen club, who signed me in, with warm welcome, goodie bag with pen magazine..& warmly on day 2 also-even remembered my name!

I soon found myself at Toms table..Tom spend alot of time teaching me pen basics..very warm personable..enjoyed hearing about his family>>>'his daughter' and he offered advice on a pen that I thought had nib issues.. not at all, he wrote with it-Tom has beautiful handwriting! and gave his opinion that it was merely too heavy for my small hand.

Being of modest means-I'd Just lost my job.. I made very few purchases that day. None from Tom, but he kindly spent time instructing the 'newbie' as pleasantly as anyone could wish:) Certainly, he did make a future customer that day.. when he has a pen/I have the money/coincides in the future:)

It would take up too much space to detail here, the Many pleasant + people who made those 2 days both fun and memorable..

I'm sorry that your experience was less than my close to perfect one..many things may not have clicked well..some days are just quirky and off kilter..so repeat, glad you're intending to attend other shows.. Know you will have future reports to cheerfully report here:)

p2p

 

Now you try that same with "wrong" clothes, wrong accent or no knowledge of English.

 

Too often I did that on exhibitions. Found myself on "the short end of the stick".

 

All the backslapping and joviality was directed to the inner circles.

 

Until "they" found out you are trying to spend several millions of dollars.

 

Then the "wrong" clothes or lack of English wasn't an issue anymore.

 

 

" Ah, cross-cultural differences in notions of "hospitality"! : ) "

 

is an understatement in this.

 

 

[Titivillus]

The bottom line in pen shows is to sell. The more the better.

 

We cannot "afford" wasting our time with a foreigner who doesn't

 

speaks the lingo and (most probably) doesn't have the cash.

 

So, what's new?

 

Unless "they" know you and suck up to you (with the sole intention of selling).

 

C'est la vie.

 

As someone who does exhibit and sell at shows I find your remarks rather insulting.....

 

YES, I do the shows to sell the pens I have restored.... that is the way I make a little extra money for and from my hobby...

BUT, I have never turned away anyone who just wanted some information.... EVER.

 

 

That's nice that you feel that way but you're not everyone at a show selling pens.

 

[Titivillus]

All the backslapping and joviality was directed to the inner circles.

 

I did see lots of the pen show I was at. Catching up and making deals behind the tables.

 

K

 

[QM2]

...

All the backslapping and joviality was directed to the inner circles.

 

Until "they" found out you are trying to spend several millions of dollars.

 

Then the "wrong" clothes or lack of English wasn't an issue anymore.

 

Cool, you've spent several million dollars at a pen show?

Do tell, I hope it was something pretty!

 

[OcalaFlGuy]

The bottom line in pen shows is to sell. The more the better.

 

We cannot "afford" wasting our time with a foreigner who doesn't

 

speaks the lingo and (most probably) doesn't have the cash.

 

So, what's new?

 

Unless "they" know you and suck up to you (with the sole intention of selling).

 

C'est la vie.

 

 

WOW.

 

I'm sure glad this isn't the predominant attitude I see here at FPN nor at the first pen show I just attended.

 

I will say this. If I'm going to ask a seller about a pen at a show, it's likely to be one that I have both

a sufficient interest in buying AND the ability to buy. Here's one thing you CAN take to the bank. (Now,

I have no problem waiting my turn to be attended to while others ready to buy are being waited on, but,)

If I were to witness you or any seller who's table I was at "blowing off" a show attendee because they

were not so knowledgable about pens or looked like they couldn't afford the pen they were asking about,

the one thing you WOULDN'T be taking to the bank would be any of MY money. I don't need any pen

bad enough to deal with that type of an attitude.

 

We are ALL ignorant. Just in different subjects.

 

I've only been back into FP's now for about 10 months or so. In that time here, I've seen countless times

when VERY BUSY people like Richard Binder, El Zorno and Thomas took their time to help out someone

who was a nOOb (like me) who at that time, they had ZERO likelyhood of directly being "paid for" doing so.

I think these gentlemen are respected at least as much for doing that as they are for their primary skills

with pens. They certainly are with me, that's for sure.

 

Just my semi-nOOb .02,

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

 

 

 

 

 

[OldGriz]

Now you try that same with "wrong" clothes, wrong accent or no knowledge of English.

Too often I did that on exhibitions. Found myself on "the short end of the stick".

 

All the backslapping and joviality was directed to the inner circles.

Until "they" found out you are trying to spend several millions of dollars.

 

Then the "wrong" clothes or lack of English wasn't an issue anymore.

 

 

" Ah, cross-cultural differences in notions of "hospitality"! : ) "

 

is an understatement in this.

 

There are no "wrong clothes" at pen shows.. .you seen people wearing anything from shorts and a tshirt to a three piece suit... and you will see them sitting together talking pens and enjoying each others company. I don't know what exhibitions are being describing, but pen shows are not like that....

 

As for "wrong accent or no knowledge of English" read the statement below from my original posting...

"If the person does not speak English I am, obviously, at a loss as I do not speak any other languages (something I am not all that proud of, but language was never my good subject in school). But generally they are there with someone who can translate and we get the information across the language barrier..."

 

Also "All the backslapping and joviality was directed to the inner circles" does not happen at any pen show I have been to...

Sure there is an inner circle of people who do the shows and have known each other for years... BUT, they have never ignored a newbie that I have seen...

It is fairly common after the show for a bunch of us to sit around the hotel lobby and discuss our sales, purchases and what we saw at the show... it is also rather common to see a newbie stand outside the group and attempt to listen.... at every show I have been at that person was invited to sit in and join the conversation....

Yes, there is an inner circle... BUT NO they do not exclude anyone from joining the conversations....

 

Last statement "they" found out you are trying to spend several millions of dollars. Then the "wrong" clothes or lack of English wasn't an issue anymore"

I, and I would also say just about every person I know at a pen show, could care less what you are wearing and if your pockets are loaded with $100 bills....

YES, we are there to sell pens, etal. HOWEVER, we are also there to share our knowledge.... the knowledge I share with someone today (who does not buy from me) is the same knowledge that might get them to buy from me a year from now.... or help them make a better the decision on a pen that another dealer might have.

 

Until you go to a pen show and see what happens in real life, please do not insult those of us who spend a lot of time preparing for these shows and treat all the people visiting as friends...

 

[OldGriz]

The bottom line in pen shows is to sell. The more the better.

 

We cannot "afford" wasting our time with a foreigner who doesn't

 

speaks the lingo and (most probably) doesn't have the cash.

 

So, what's new?

 

Unless "they" know you and suck up to you (with the sole intention of selling).

 

C'est la vie.

 

As someone who does exhibit and sell at shows I find your remarks rather insulting.....

 

YES, I do the shows to sell the pens I have restored.... that is the way I make a little extra money for and from my hobby...

BUT, I have never turned away anyone who just wanted some information.... EVER.

 

 

That's nice that you feel that way but you're not everyone at a show selling pens.

 

Is a comparison of how many shows each have been to needed to prove my point....

My statement is based on the number of shows I have not only been to as a seller, but the shows I go to as a looker....

I know most of the sellers at the shows I do as a seller... and I can say that the greater majority of them deal with the public the same way I do...

YES, there are sellers at shows who are only interested in making a buck and not talking to anyone who is not buying.... BUT they are far and away the minority at any show I have done or visited over the past years....